Urban Forest Science Specialist (Botanic Specialist II – Forestry)

Full-time, in-person position at the Portland Building, 1120 SW 5th Ave, Portland, OR 97204. Limited remote telework opportunity within Oregon or Washington. This position is represented by PROTEC17 and may be eligible for Language Pay Differential for qualifying employees.

About the Role

Join our team and help shape the future of Portland's urban forest. We are seeking two Urban Forest Science Specialists to serve as core members of our Urban Forest Science team. These positions play a critical leadership role in providing the data and information that guide Urban Forestry's programs, investments, and strategic direction.

Working alongside planners, arborists, program managers, field crews, and community partners, you'll help answer key questions such as:

• Where should we focus tree planting to maximize canopy, climate resilience, and environmental equity?
• Are our tree planting and stewardship programs succeeding?
• What is changing in Portland's urban forest, and what are the causes?
• How can we use what we know about the forest to improve policies, investments, and management practices?

These are applied science positions collaborating with staff and the public to increase knowledge about Portland’s urban forest, assess threats to this public resource, identify opportunities for expanding tree canopy, and provide resources to better manage Portland’s trees. You'll lead projects from concept through implementation, coordinate field studies and monitoring efforts, analyze complex datasets, and communicate findings that inform City leadership, elected officials, community partners, and the public.

Programs under the Urban Forest Science team include Tree Inventory, Heritage Trees, urban forest pest and pathogen response, and tracking tree survival, species performance, and canopy cover change. This team is highly collaborative, supporting the work of dozens of colleagues while leading projects with multiple stakeholders both in the field and in the office.

Responsibilities

• Represent programs to the public by leading events, creating written materials, and public speaking.
• Collect data in the field and lead the work of seasonal staff and volunteers to monitor and assess urban trees.
• Design, implement, and report on studies related to the structure, extent, and long-term health of Portland's urban forest.
• Analyze data and conduct research to evaluate program outcomes and recommend improvements.
• Act as a technical resource on urban forestry research and practice, developing and updating policies and standards to support urban forest management goals.
• Collaborate across Urban Forestry and with other City bureaus, community organizations, universities, and regional partners to advance climate resilience and equitable access to healthy tree canopy.

About Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry

Urban Forestry cares for our vibrant and diverse urban forest—the 1.2 million trees in parks and natural areas, 333,000 street trees, and 2.9 million trees on private property. Valued at $9.5 billion, Portland's trees are critical city infrastructure. Urban Forestry protects and grows this shared asset through tree planting and care, education, volunteer stewardship, and community partnerships—with research, data, and community feedback guiding our programs and services.

Our work is informed by the Portland Urban Forest Plan, which provides a roadmap for protecting, expanding, and caring for Portland's trees. We are proud of our long history protecting this vital asset, reflected in the City’s nearly 50-year recognition as a Tree City USA, our designation as a Tree City of the World, and our accreditation for urban forestry excellence by the Urban and Community Forestry Society.

About The Bureau

Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) is committed to the overall Citywide vision that race will have no detrimental effect on people of color, refugee, and immigrant communities in accessing our parks and natural areas, or from the benefit of our services. We recognize, understand, and encourage celebration of the differences that surround us. Diversity and equity are vital to PP&R’s ideals and values.

The City of Portland, Oregon is a growing and diverse city of 650,000 residents, nearly 20% of whom speak languages other than English at home. PP&R values a diverse workforce and seeks ways to promote equity and inclusion within the organization and with the public. PP&R encourages applications from candidates with knowledge, ability, and experience working with a broad range of individuals and communities with diverse racial, ethnic, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds. Multilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.

Requirements

The following minimum qualifications are required for this position:

• Experience leading urban forestry field work such as tree inventory and condition assessment utilizing industry best practices and methods.
• Experience managing complex projects, including workplan development, leading staff, documenting processes, and evaluating outcomes.
• Experience with data analysis and reporting, using GIS, Excel, PowerBI, or similar applications.
• Experience communicating with diverse audiences through writing and public speaking.

Schedule

Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM.

Benefits

Please check the benefits tab for an overview of benefits for this position.